Megliola: Record-breaking Walter keys spectacular Marian turnaround

It was an auspicious debut for Steve Privitera when he became Marian High’s boys lacrosse coach and guided the Mustangs to the state tournament for the first time. That was in 2009, and maybe it was a case of too much, too soon. During the next three seasons Marian didn’t qualify for the postseason. Last year the Mustangs finished 3-17. So, what a turnaround it’s been this season.

By Lenny Megliola/Special to the News

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Lenny Megliola/Special to the News

Posted May. 23, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 23, 2013 at 11:04 PM

By Lenny Megliola/Special to the News
Posted May. 23, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 23, 2013 at 11:04 PM

» Social News

It was an auspicious debut for Steve Privitera when he became Marian High’s boys lacrosse coach and guided the Mustangs to the state tournament for the first time.

That was in 2009. And maybe it was a case of too much, too soon.

During the next three seasons Marian didn’t qualify for the postseason. Last year the Mustangs finished 3-17.

So, what a turnaround it’s been this season. The Mustangs take a 12-6 record, the school’s best ever, to the state tournament, starting next week. With a squad loaded with underclassmen, the tournament may become a regular appointment for Marian during the next few years.

"We’ve had a lot of talent on offense, but our defense was always young," says junior attack Paul Walter.

But those kids are juniors now, playing with more experience and confidence. "They’ve finally taken control," says Walter.

As far as the offense, well the 5-foor-11, 175-pound Walter has always come up big. He led the team in scoring as a freshman (52 goals), as a sophomore (60) and busted out for 70 goals this season, breaking the school record held by Ashland’s Dan Heirs, who was at the record-breaking game Monday, against Catholic Central Small League foe Matignon.

Walter and Heirs — a senior at St. Anselm — talked briefly after the game. The record wasn’t mentioned, says Walter.

"Paul seems to get in the right spot, and he’s not afraid to take the shot," says Privitera. "He’s never seen a shot he didn’t like. We run our offense through him."

Walter says, "I’m not the fastest player," but his technical skills are very impressive.

"We have a net in the backyard. I work on my shot every day," he says. His shots are uncannily accurate.

Great scorers need teammates to feed them. Zaven Bablouzian and Brendan Walsh fill that role. "Zaven is quick," says Walter. "He does a good job of getting defenders to slide to him and I get the open shot."

Says Privitera, "Zaven would rather get an assist than a goal. He’ll dish it to Paul all day." Walsh can dish and score. He’s got 42 goals.

Like Walter, Bablouzian and Walsh are juniors. They’re all from Framingham. They’re also hockey teammates, so it makes sense that they’re buds.

"We’re not losing too many kids, I’m already excited," says Walter, "but right now I’m focused on the tournament."

Marian is a co-op team, but the majority of the players are from Framingham, including players from Keefe Tech. Privitera helped start the youth lacrosse program in Framingham. His son, Josh, played at Marian.

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Walter’s dad, Paul Sr., Marian’s volunteer assistant coach, played lacrosse in upstate New York where the sport is huge. His son soon dropped baseball to give his undivided attention to lacrosse. "I started when I was five. I had a stick in my hand ever since I can remember. Upstate New York, that’s lacrosse country."

Walter will play in a league near Syracuse this summer. Walter’s sister, Kathryn, 14, is a freshman at Marian and plays lacrosse. Guess what sport the family’s youngest, six-year-old Charlotte, has taken up?

Marian’s season got off to a rough start. "We got killed 13-5 by Arlington Catholic in our first game," Walter recalls. "But we bounced back the next game and beat a good Lowell Catholic team. That showed the potential we really had."